Crosby Farm - St. Paul

[seberly]

As some of us know there are some trails in the Crosby Farm Park (I think that is the name) which is in St. Paul just across the Mississippi river from Fort Snelling. There are paved bike trails, and some off road trails - most of the off road trails are in the river bottoms - so sandy, but there is also a pretty neat bluff trail.

Does anyone know the status of riding in this park? It is not listed as a trail on this site (under Twin Cities Trails) so I imagine it is not officially sanctioned.

Appreciate feedback....

[nigel]

OMG I learned how to ride there!! Ill go there Tuesday and check it out....have not been there in years!!! You got me all excited and stuff about that place.....Ill post after I ride :)

Douglas

[nigel]

Ok here goes my Crosby Farm trail report.....

--Started at the hidden falls area, just near the Ford Plant. Trails at this end were very overgrown and way to sandy, had to walk a lot of it, just plain ole sucked.

--The paved area between hidden falls and crosby was a nice ride, picnic folks to watch, saw a cool dog playing catch.

--Crosby (bluff side, below Shepard road) was on very excellent condition!!!!! Rode like a dream, nicely packed, not overgorwn at all, not sandy (a lil by the caves but rideable), no glass either which i recall from the past was a problem at times. Seems as the trail has been rerouted in a few areas to make it easier (been a couple years since I've been there) Very nice on the upper section as well, where the nature walk posts are.

--Crosby (river side) sucked soooo bad....I rode in fast, I got out faster :( It was so darn overgrown, my entire body was one bit itch.....I had to drop the bike and pour water all over me and scratch like mad!!!!! Do not go into those trails at all on the river side!!!! At least until right before it snows. They are nicely packed but very overgrown with them itchy plants.

All in all I loved riding down there again, think Ima gonna make it a weekly ride......made it 20 miles from my house to there, a few laps and back. So if anyone wants to head down with me gimmie a holler.

Douglas

[Pohlease]

I'll bring this trail back from the dead. Anyone else ride here? I live right off of the trail wouldn't mind getting together.

[jitterjepp]

As some of us know there are some trails in the Crosby Farm Park (I think that is the name) which is in St. Paul just across the Mississippi river from Fort Snelling. There are paved bike trails, and some off road trails - most of the off road trails are in the river bottoms - so sandy, but there is also a pretty neat bluff trail.

Does anyone know the status of riding in this park? It is not listed as a trail on this site (under Twin Cities Trails) so I imagine it is not officially sanctioned.

Appreciate feedback....For some reason I have it in my mind that bikes are specifically not allowed there in the way they are not allowed at the Eloise Butler flower garden.

I guess I'm not sure on that but I thought I saw this somewhere...maybe on the City of St. Paul website when I was looking for information on ice climbing at Homer and Shepard. So I would be talking about that area specifically. I could be wrong though and I only remember seeing it on a website and not seeing it posted on the trail.

[Danimal]

Ride it until someone tells you you can't. Shelly & I ride there quite often and we started "exploring" the non-paved paths, so far no-one has said anything. It is sandy as hell along the paths opposite Minnehaha Park.

[jitterjepp]

Ride it until someone tells you you can't. Shelly & I ride there quite often and we started "exploring" the non-paved paths, so far no-one has said anything. It is sandy as hell along the paths opposite Minnehaha Park.
Nobody said anything to me about Homer until they found out I cut the hanging tree down in the slot canyon. Then I got an email from the DNR.

[bigwheel]

Pre-MORC, I used to ride Crosby a lot. My favorite was the stuff on the side of the hill. I think that the trails were open for mountain bikers, but not sure.

Slightly off-topic. A friend, while learning to ride clipless, went off the edge of the river bank and crashed down the hill, still clipped in, right into the dead trees and logs and stuff. He got pretty busted up on that one.

[[defective]]

I shattered my sternum and broke most of my ribs at Crosby in 1992. Worst bike accident I've had. Jousted off my bike and into the air by taking the tip of a dead tree branch to the center of my chest. That's when I started wearing a helmet, even though my skull didn't get a ding.

I still head down there on occasion via M'haha Park and Ft. Snelling. It's well worth the trip if you live in the area. Some of my favorite sections are gone, but some new stuff magically appears every couple of years. As far as I've been told by a St. Paul Parks employee (around 2002) it's all shared use. Be cool to the hikers, joggers, and dogs. Slow up and say "hi". Some of the people that ride back there give us all a bad reputation, and complaints to the city are what will get biking banned.

The Pugsley opportunities in Winter are fantastic, especially when linked with the previously mentioned M'haha Park/Ft. Snelling route.

[Magic]

I've ridden here for years and still ride at this great trail system. You can make all different loops. Sorry to hear about the itch weed Doug, but thanks for the recon work.

[nigel]

I Sorry to hear about the itch weed Doug, but thanks for the recon work.

Ummm that was a 5 year old itch post :crazy: but yeah I still itch, maybe I should get it looked at.

[gtbikes]

I can get in sweet single track during my lunch break....that's pretty close to the Vet's home right??

[danomyte]

Ummm that was a 5 year old itch post :crazy: but yeah I still itch, maybe I should get it looked at.


The itchweed was still there last year though. Not going to comment on Doug's itching condition.

[nigel]

It was still itchy last night. And mucky.